


Sunrise and Sunset

by Gigi2



Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Cousin Incest, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, M/M, Protectiveness, Slow Burn, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-20 23:56:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13728705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gigi2/pseuds/Gigi2
Summary: T'Challa couldn't watch but he felt the sunlight heat his face. He watched as Erik's fingers go for the spearhead. That was when T'Challa first registered the tear skipping down his cheek.





	Sunrise and Sunset

**Author's Note:**

> So I watched this film and I cried. I bawled like a baby because Erik deserved better. And I have no fucks that they are cousins. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy. There's more to come.

T'Challa helped Erik to his feet, the spearhead was still protruding from his abdomen as they went up to the top of the tower. They traded a few words before Erik felt a tear slip down his cheek, then he pulled the blade from his own body. This way he could be free. He was thankful the last thing he was would be the beautiful Wakandan sun and T'Challa's face. 

But T'Challa wouldn’t just let his cousin die, he couldn’t face it. W'Kabi had betrayed him, but in time he would be forgiven, T'Challa understood what burned inside of him. The day thing burned in him days before, when his father lay dead in his arms. No e it was his cousin who lay dying in his arms. T'Challa couldn’t that happen. He lost his father, his uncle, his best friend to some extent, he had lost Zuri at Erik's hands. But at the same time, T'Challa knew what vengeance felt like, and what it could cause people to do. 

So he took carried Erik over his shoulders and he went back to find Shuri. He had many plans for the future but now, he wanted her to help him. He needed it. The place he found her was obvious she was looking at her lab, shattered glass was sprinkled around the room.

“Did you bring him to me so I could throw him over and down into the mine?”, Shuri asked.

“He has not long left Shuri, I fear he may already be too far gone. I am asking as your brother, help me save him. He deserves a chance. I have been where he stood, vengeance drives people crazy”, T'Challa begged as he placed Erik on the table.

“You are not him, T'Challa. You owe him nothing. He nearly killed you”. Despite her words, Shuri got to work.

“Thank you sister. Thank you”, T'Challa whispered as he sat on the ground, after he kicked the glass out of the way.

Days passed and he began to unify his fractured country, Shuri was sworn to secrecy and the only other person that knows that Erik still possessed a beating heart was W'Kabi. Despite what happened, this was the moment that he needs his best friend. W'Kabi, like Shuri, agreed to keep it a secret but they are not happy about it. But T'Challa understands why. 

He was with Nakia when Shuri's face bloomed from his wrist.

“Brother. Come to my lab".

He said his goodbyes to Nakia and raced to the heart of the mine. There were only two people in the room. A staring Shuri and a sitting Erik.

“Sister, leave us", T'Challa requested as he dragged his fingers across the edges of the table.

Shuri nodded as disappeared. Erik watched with narrowed eyes as she walked away. Then his black gaze fell to T'Challa.

“Why did you not let me die? Do I have to beg for death? ‘Cos fuck that shit”, Erik cursed, he made no move.

“I know what it is like to have your father taken. I simply want to help you, vengeance drive you, as it did me. Because of you, my father's image is forever besmirched. He never should have left you. You are if royal blood, you never had the chance. You deserved it. Now is your chance". T'Challa came to a stop in front of Erik.

“Do you honestly think I care that we are related? Blood means nothing to me, not when you are the son of a murder. But my father's murder had been avenged, Zuri is dead. A good riddance. A liar”, Erik snarled as his hands closed around T'Challa's throat.

“Stop this. I have seen too much violence for one week”, T'Challa gasped.

He was surprised when Erik let go.

“This is too much violence for one week? Wait until you have seen what I have seen. My time in America did much more than give me an outlet. It gave me a reason to live. I viewed it as training for a moment that I lost. Wait until you are the only one standing in the middle of a field, burning flesh the only thing you can smell, as you walk over the bodies of your teammates. Of the people you viewed as your family. Then you will know violence”. Something in Erik’s voice seemed small and in need of comfort. 

T'Challa laid he hand in his shoulder, he felt the bumps and muscle tighten under his touch.

“Let me help you Erik, I want to do this for your. For my uncle”, T'Challa whispered.

At first, Erik agreed. Then he became increasingly despondent. By the time T'Challa announced it to the council the following month, Erik was eating one meal a day and just attacking the punching bag in his pricey chambers. But it would never break, or spilt. Just like T'Challa, just like Erik.

T'Challa often just sat there and watched, he watched the swift movements and remembers how easy it was for Erik to pick him up when he couldn’t object. T’Challa swore he could feel the scars that the other Wakandan had inflicted thrum and scald his skin. The dinnertime meal lay forgotten on the desk in the bedroom. 

“Where do you get your energy? You do not eat, you do not sleep", T'Challa announced one day in late spring. He and Erik had been skirting around each other for a few months at this stage, but Erik was still the same. He believed he was beyond redemption. T'Challa believes otherwise.

“Anger. Hatred”, came the low response before Erik pulled his hand back.

“Let me have a look", T'Challa said when he noticed the discomfort.

Erik obliged, he knew exactly what was wrong. It wasn’t the first time it happened, probably wouldn't be the last.

“We can fix it in a matter of seconds”. T'Challa smiled as he dragged his fingers over the taped up knuckles.

“Are you not going to even ask if that's what I want, cub?”, Erik smirked.

“Is it?”, T'Challa asked, the smile was still bright on his face.

“No. It can heal on its own. Do you want to do something?”, Erik raised an eyebrow.

“No. I will leave you alone, if you want that”, T'Challa offered.

“I was just going to eat something, you do not need to watch me do that. Unless you like that sort if shit, do you?”, Erik snorted as he rolled his shoulders.

“It will be cold, do you want me to get you another one?”.

“Dude, chill. Even if it's cold, it's gonna be better than the rashions I had in the Seal's”, Erik chuckled as he walked by.

T'Challa rolled his eyes before he followed Erik into the living room.

They spent more time together, they often sparred when both of them could not sleep at night. Currently, Erik was lying in bed, his head was filled with too many images. His head was filled with him throwing T'Challa over the waterfall, all of the bodies whose death marred his beautiful skin. He just wanted it to stop. So he did what came natural to him, he tried to destroy everything in his room, but it didn’t work. Stupid fucking Vibranium. But Erik stood there, his chest heaving as T'Challa burst through the door.

“Are you alright?”, T'Challa asked as he placed both of his hands on the sides of Erik's head.

“Yes", Erik responded robotically as he moved back to sit on the edge of his mattress. 

 

He felt the mattress dip and warmth spread inside of.

“N'Jadaka, talk to me, it’s okay”, T’Challa whispered as he knocked their heads together.

“My name is Erik”.

“Fine then, Erik. I might be able to help”.

“Just leave me be".

“Okay”.

From that moment on, Erik doesn’t have any more meltdowns became of his dreams. He knows what would happen if he does, and he likes it. He likes knowing that T'Challa cares and will get up for him in the middle of the night. He loves that T'Challa always smiles and tells him that it will be okay. And soon, Erik starts to believe him. But then Some thing less blossoms in his chest and takes his heart.

 

It's another few days before T'Challa comes to see him again. But he can see the tension on the king when he walked into the room. Erik was lying on his bed, dying sun light filtered through his open windows as he read his novel.

“T'Challa, what is it?”, Erik asked as he folded the corner of the page.

“Nothing. I wanted you to come with me to watch the sun set", T'Challa grinned.

“Okay".

They headed off together, there was a companionship in their silence as the reached the top of the mountain and sat beneath the panther statue. Erik smiled as he watched the sun explode in reds and oranges.

“This is the first time you’ve left the palace, isn’t it?”, T'Challa wondered as he sat down beside Erik, who nodded.

“Dad didn’t lie, this is beautiful”, Erik whispered as he sank into T'Challa's warmth.

The Wakandan King took it as the opportunity to slide his arm around Erik.

“We shouldn't”, Erik mumbled but that didn’t stop him.

“You talk too much”, T'Challa smirked before he kissed Erik. Erik couldn't help but smile into the kiss as his tongue slipped past T'Challa's lips.


End file.
